This invention relates to a novel, universal tissue emergence profile shaping healing abutment, provisional and restoration abutments, impression coping and ceramic crown base system. More particularly, this invention pertains to a novel dental implant system which provides a simple related series of an emergent profile healing abutment, which can be custom shaped to a specific tooth socket, an impression coping provisional and final restoration abutment system, and a ceramic base on which to build a crown.
The technology of dental implants has been evolving over the years with both advances and setbacks. One implant system, known as the Branemark system for permanent tooth replacement has been supplied by Noblepharma, AB, Sweden, for over thirty years. U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,891 pertains to this system.
More than twenty years ago, a dental implant concept to prevent tissue destruction after tooth extraction was developed by a research team headed by Dr. Wylli Schulte. Dr. Wylli Schulte and his team did their development work at The Universities of Tubingen and Heidelberg. The system became known as the Tubingen implant. Dr. Schulte developed a ceramic stepped implant prosthetic which mimicked the tooth root and fit in the bone socket from which the root had been extracted.
Subsequently, the stepped ceramic implant was replaced by a titanium implant which had a stepped cylindrical design analogous to the tooth root at both the cervical and apical ends. This concept of diameter-guided implant planning provides a number of important advantages. It provided support of the alveolar bone from the root analog shape of the implants. It also provided a minimal loading of the peri-implant bone under the impact of chewing forces and minimized perforation risk of the vestibular lamella or injury of adjacent teeth during preparation of the implant site. The titanium implant system is sold by Friatec Dental Inc. under the trademark FRIALIT-2.
Other implant systems are manufactured by other companies, and without being exhaustive, titanium implant systems are available from Institut Straumann AG, Switzerland, under the trademark ITI, 3i Corporation, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., under the trademark TG OSSEOTITE, protected by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,603,338 and 5,582,299, and Paragon Implant Company, Etobicoke, Ontario M9W 5Z5.
Institut Straumann AG utilizes an implant system which was pioneered by Dr. Andre Schroeder. Straumann has over the years developed and marketed a successful and improved titanium implant system under the trademark OCTASYSTEM. The implant uses an octagonal implant/abutment and Moore taper interface which provides great longlasting tooth stability.
Paragon Implant Company has obtained a number of U.S. patents, G. A. Niznick, which protect friction fit, internal hex and taper lock, external hex implant systems designed to eliminate or minimize rotational wobble in screw-retained abutments. These systems are designed to reduce rotational misfit with different non-rotating implant interfaces.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,095 protects a twenty-four position pre-angled abutment design. U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,800 protects a fixture mount packaging system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,024 protects a friction-fit abutment system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,381 protects an internal hex-thread connection. U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,650 protects a twist tri-spade drill with counter sink system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,500 protects a healing collar packaging. U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,017 protects a selective surface for an implant. U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,606 protects a tapered external hex connection between abutment and implant.
The invention is directed to a dental abutment for use in association with a dental implant comprising: (a) a non-cylindrical gingival tissue abutment with an implant bearing surface on a first side thereof, a passage through the abutment and the bearing surface for receiving a screw to enable the bearing surface of the abutment to be secured to the dental implant; and (b) a hollow protrusion surrounding the passage and located on a second side of the abutment.
The protrusion can be a hollow tube which can be in axial alignment with the passage and the implant. The abutment can include a screw which can fit within the passage and connect the abutment with the implant. The bearing surface can have an octagonal base for use in association with an octagonal recess implant.
The abutment can be formed of a dentally acceptable machinable material, the outer surface of which can be shaped by an implantologist to fit within a cavity of gingival tissue formed by extraction of a tooth.
The abutment can have an ovoid shape, a tapered conical oval cross-section shape, a tapered truncated shape with a triangular cross-section or a tapered truncated shape with a rectangular cross-section.
The abutment can include an impression coping and an associated seating cap. The seating cap can be cylindrical or cuboidal in shape.
The protrusion can be a plastic tube which can be used for wax pattern burnout in forming a crown.
The abutment can include a temporary crown or a permanent crown associated with the abutment. The abutment can include a base for a ceramic crown restoration.